| Beatrice of Portugal | |
|---|---|
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| Duchess consort of Savoy | |
| Tenure | 29 September 1521 –8 January 1538 |
| Countess of Asti | |
| Reign | 3 April 1531 – 8 January 1538 |
| Predecessor | Charles V |
| Successor | Emmanuel Philibert |
| Born | 31 December 1504 Lisbon,Portugal |
| Died | 8 January 1538 (aged 33) Nice,Savoy |
| Spouse | Charles III, Duke of Savoy |
| Issue | Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy |
| House | Aviz (by birth) Savoy (by marriage) |
| Father | Manuel I of Portugal |
| Mother | Maria of Aragon |
Infanta Beatrice of Portugal (Portuguese:Beatriz[bi.ɐˈtɾiʃ]; 31 December 1504 – 8 January 1538) was a Portuguese princess by birth and aDuchess of Savoy by marriage toCharles III, Duke of Savoy. She was the ruling countess of Asti from 1531 to 1538.
She was the second daughter ofManuel I of Portugal (1469–1521) and his second wife,Maria of Aragon (1482–1517). Her siblings included KingJohn III of Portugal andIsabella, Holy Roman Empress. She was educated under the supervision of her governessElvira de Mendoza.
InVillefranche-sur-Mer on 29 September 1521, Beatrice married DukeCharles III of Savoy. He had succeeded as the duke of Savoy in 1504, making Beatrice duchess at the moment of her wedding.
Beatrice was described as beautiful,[1] brilliant, and ambitious. In 1531, she received theCounty of Asti as afiefdom from her cousin and brother-in-law,Emperor Charles V, which on her death was inherited by her son and permanently included in theSavoys' heritage.
In 1534, she welcomedChristina of Denmark, a ward of her brother-in-law the Emperor, on her way to her marriage with theDuke of Milan.[1] When Christina was widowed in 1535, the MilaneseCount Stampa suggested a marriage between Christina and the eldest son of Beatrice, Louis, the heir of Savoy, in an attempt to protect Milan from Imperial sovereignty.[2] Beatrice supported the plan, and when Louis died, she suggested that her next son could replace him.[2] Nothing more was heard of this, however. In April 1536, Beatrice fled from the French conquest of Savoy to Christina inMilan in the company of two of her surviving children and theShroud of Turin fromChambéry.[3] In May, she was able to visit the Emperor with Christina inPavia, but without any political result.[4] She then lived as a guest with Christina in Milan, with whom she was good friends. In November 1537, Beatrice was escorted by the Imperial viceroy of Milan to the Emperor inGenoa, but again, the meeting was without any result. She continued toNice, where she reunited with her spouse. She died in Nice in January 1538.[5]
Beatrice and Charles III had nine children, but only one of them lived to adulthood:
After the death of the childlessSebastian of Portugal (her grand-nephew), her son fought for his rights to becomeKing of Portugal; however, he failed and the throne was given to Isabella's sonPhilip.
| Ancestors of Beatrice of Portugal, Duchess of Savoy |
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{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)Beatrice of Portugal, Duchess of Savoy Cadet branch of theHouse of Burgundy Born: 31 December 1504 Died: 8 January 1538 | ||
| Royal titles | ||
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| Vacant Title last held by Margaret of Austria | Duchess consort of Savoy 29 September 1521 – 8 January 1538 | Vacant Title next held by Margaret of France |
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| People | |
